Myth 1.
You don’t know anyone that has been in recovery. Many people would be surprised to find out that a friend or acquaintance has been through recovery for a drug or alcohol problem. Most people choose to not have their addiction and treatment become public knowledge, but the fact is that 4.3 million people aged 12 or older received treatment for substance use disorders in 2009. (1) Half of all American adults know someone who has been in rehab, and many more know someone in need of it.

Myth 2.
Drug addicts and alcoholics don’t try hard enough to get sober. While a person does choose to abuse substances in the first place, people don’t choose to continue in a life of addiction. An addiction causes someone to lose control, and they become powerless to their substance, no matter how badly they want to be free from it. Sometimes, the only way for someone to overcome the triggers, cravings, and relapses is with professional recovery through detox and behavioral therapy.

Myth 3.
Someone who is a “functioning addict” can get sober on their own. There are people who can live an almost normal life while addicted to drugs or alcohol. While the problem might not seem very serious to those on the outside because the person is able to carry out their responsibilities at work or at home, they may need professional help. The cravings and dependence that a businessman has can be just as strong as those of an addict out on the street.

Myth 4.
Treatment is a lonely and isolated journey. Some people wish to have complete privacy during their recovery, and that may work for them. Studies have found, however, that people are usually more successful when they have family and friends around that support them. Sometimes hiding an addiction is detrimental, but opening up and relying on family, friends, and those who have been through recovery can have more successful results.

Myth 5.
It is necessary to hit rock bottom for a successful recovery. While many people attribute the change in their life to the fact that they hit rock bottom and had nowhere else to go, not everyone needs to get to that point. In fact, treatment is much more successful if it happens earlier in a person’s addiction, because the harder-core the addict is, the more difficult it is to rehabilitate them.

Myth 6.
You can’t force someone into treatment. A person, in the end, has to want to recover for it to be successful, but people do enter into treatment for reasons other than wanting to get better. Family interventions that persuade someone to be carried off to treatment, court orders, and other involuntary means can “force” a person into treatment, and these means are just as effective as a person walking in under their free will.

Myth 7.
Treatment is treatment; it’s all the same. One of the main misconceptions about recovery is that rehab is the same everywhere. Many people have failed at their program because they believed this myth. Everyone is different, and there are different types of rehab and different programs that can be tailored to meet someone’s needs. Some people are more likely to succeed if they are in a program with their peers, others thrive in a secluded atmosphere. Still others will require a program that treats their specific addiction or has the medical capacity for them to safely detox. Treatment should be personalized for each patient.

Myth 8.
Relapse sends you back to square one. No one wants to relapse. Everyone going through recovery is afraid of it. It is important for someone in recovery to heed the warnings of doctors and therapists, in an effort to prevent relapse. Developing good stress relieving techniques and avoiding triggers are ways to help. But a person who relapses will still have all the knowledge and experiences they gained from the first time around, making it easier to get and stay sober again.

Myth 9.
A person’s recovery is done once they complete treatment. Treatment facilities know that recovery is a lifelong process, which is why many have created after care programs and encourage their patients to join support groups. Staying active with a support group or finding an accountability partner will help someone stay active in recovery. The journey of recovery does not end once treatment is over; a person must work to stay sober for the rest of their life.

Myth 10.
Some individuals are a lost cause. Just ask some of the millions of people who have been through recovery and are sober today. A great number of them and their family members would say that they had lost hope along the way. Many of these people know they shouldn’t be alive today, and know almost everyone had given up on them as a lost cause. But because of one spark of hope, they were able to recover. It’s never too late to get help. Treatment can work, recovery is possible. Never give up hope on yourself or someone you care about.

Behavioral Signs of Drug Abuse

• Drop in attendance and performance at work or school.
• Unexplained need for money or financial problems. May borrow or steal.
• Engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors.
• Sudden change in friends, favorite hangouts, and hobbies.
• Frequently getting into trouble, DUI’s and other legal problems.

If you are worried about your own or a friend or family member’s substance abuse, it is important to know that help is available. Recovery is much easier when you have a support system. A good support system might consist of therapists or counselors, other recovering addicts, healthcare providers, family members, and/or people from your faith community.

If you suspect that a friend or family member has an addiction problem, here are a few things you can do:

1. SPEAK UP. TALK TO THE PERSON ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS, AND OFFER YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT, WITHOUT BEING JUDGMENTAL. THE EARLIER ADDICTION IS TREATED, THE BETTER. DON’T WAIT FOR YOUR LOVED ONE TO HIT BOTTOM!

2. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. DON’T GET SO CAUGHT UP IN SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM THAT YOU NEGLECT YOUR OWN NEEDS. STAY SAFE. DON’T PUT YOURSELF IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.

3. AVOID SELF -BLAME. YOU CAN SUPPORT A PERSON WITH A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM AND ENCOURAGE TREATMENT, BUT YOU CAN’T FORCE AN ADDICT TO CHANGE. LET YOUR LOVED ONE ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY.

Programs like the Men’s and Women’s Firstep are being recognized as an important components of the substance abuse service system. According to the November 2016 U. S. Surgeon General’s report “Only about 1 in 10 people with a substance use disorder receive any type of specialty treatment.”

Mutual aid groups and newly emerging recovery support programs and organizations are a key part of the system of continuing care for substance use disorders in the United States. A range of recovery support services have sprung up all over the United States, including in schools, health care systems, housing, and community settings.

Firstep has opened my eyes to be a better man and opened my eyes to realize that I do want sobriety for the rest of my life and the steps of how to get there and continue after graduation. Thank You Firstep!

All in all this program saved my life.

This is a very good program and if I can make a difference I’ll help or try. Thank You.

I feel confident that by the time I finish the program Firstep will have given me everything I need to be able to live a sober, healthy and productive life.

I truly believe this place has saved my life and the community here, my brothers, are a huge part of my sobriety.

Although court ordered here, I strongly believe Firstep has saved my life and has given me another opportunity to succeed in life.

Firstep is awesome; great program; lifesaving; very supportive; peaceful environment.

Firstep has saved my life! Love the program and all the staff.

I love the sisterhood and sense of community that I have found at Women’s Firstep.

Being at Firstep gave me confidence and helped with my children and family members. The staff at Firstep were very kind and helpful with me in my life. I’m very happy for going to Firstep and completing it.

I wouldn’t be where I am today or who I’ve become without Firstep and the Court System. Today I am who I want to be and not who I was. Thank You Firstep!

Metro Alliance is a movement of people working together to change the lives of others in the community. Giving all their efforts to assist and show the care people deserve.

Why Give?

Help us provide work training for our men and women at FIRSTEP. We can fill your yardwork, maintenance, cleaning, or general labor needs.